"Mayor Villaraigosa has dedicated his career to civic engagement and empowering people at the grassroots,” Wasserman Schultz said in a statement released this morning by the Democratic National Convention Committee. “And that’s exactly what we need to be successful at this convention — input and engagement from Americans across the country.”

Villaraigosa, now in his second term, will officially become the chairman once the convention delegates vote in the opening session. He will then preside over convention proceedings and serve as another national spokesman for the convention. Villaraigosa also currently serves as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

The quadrennial nominating convention will kick off on Labor Day with a "family-friendly" event that is open to the public at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The convention will officially open Sept. 4 at the Time Warner Cable Arena, and President Barack Obama will accept the nomination on Sept. 6 at Bank of America Stadium.